Avocado toast is taking over Instagram and if your favorite brunch spot hasn’t added its own variation yet, consider the joint outdated.

But as delicious, filling, and easy to put together as avocado toast is, it can be high in calories and fat. Avocado is full of healthy monounsaturated fats. However, for those among us who struggle with excess weight or even those last five to ten pounds, avocado toast could use some slimming down.

This pea mash toast recipe is a lower-fat alternative to avocado toast that keeps the flavor standards high, and the satisfaction even higher.

The most delicious avocado toast recipes I’ve had don’t skimp on the avocado. One bread slice is topped with one-half of an avocado, and then I have two servings, for good measure. Afterwards, I always feel that I’ve taken in too much fat in one sitting, even though I technically didn’t consume that much volume. But, did you know that one avocado packs in 322 calories and 29 grams of fat, 4.3 grams of which are saturated? If you’re less sensitive to high-fat foods, then by all means, continue along your usual way.

The most unfortunate thing you could do to make your avocado toast less fatty is skimp on the topping. You see, you don’t have to eat less to have had less. The trick is in replacing the bulk normally offered by avocado with something else that gives the same level of satiation, but without all the calories fat. That’s where peas come into play.

One cup of peas has 118 calories, 7 grams of fiber, 22% of the RDA of vitamin A, 96% of vitamin C, 11% of both iron and magnesium, 10% of vitamin B, and not even one gram of fat. In this recipe we divide two cups of peas among six servings. You do the math.

Paired with lemon, spices, and olive oil, this pea mash recipe is light, aromatic, and flavorful. Spread it atop a wholegrain or gluten-free bread and have more than one slice. Enjoy!

Pea Mash Toast Recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups shelled fresh or frozen (and thawed) peas
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• Grated peel of one lemon
• Juice of one lemon
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 12 slices of your favorite thick bread, toasted or not
• Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon rind, and olive oil for garnish

Directions

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add one tablespoon of the olive oil and garlic. Cook and stir for 30 seconds before adding the peas, salt, and pepper. Cook until peas have turned tender – about five minutes – while stirring occasionally. Transfer the pea mixture to a food processor or blender.

Pulse the mixture until coarse. Transfer it to a bowl and add in the lemon rind, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and remaining one tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Fold the ingredients together until well combined.

Spread the pea bash atop the bread slices and season with extra salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and lemon rind. Drizzle each slice with olive oil and serve.

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The post Move Over, Avocado, Pea Mash is the Hot New (and Tasty!) Toast Topping Must appeared first on EcoSalon.

This apring, all focus is on lighter foods, even around a holiday table. Green peas are a great way to get your vegan protein without loading up on hard-to-digest meat, or even tofu. This pea salad recipe combines peas with a light but delicious vinaigrette as well as some spices, herbs, and cheese. Enjoy!

Now, when it comes to salads, you can go in any direction by substituting in other ingredients that fit your taste preferences. For example, instead of feta cheese, why not use soft goat cheese or cheddar cubes? Instead of parsley, why not mint or basil? Take this salad in any direction you like, but still keep the essential components: peas, cheese, and a fatty and tangy vinaigrette. Enjoy as a side dish at Easter dinner or as a light lunch on Easter day.

Spring Pea Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the peas:

• 1 pound bag frozen peas, thawed
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped (or try mint or basil)
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or chopped
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup pistachios, lightly chopped

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup high quality extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large bowl, combine all the pea ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Pour the vinaigrette over the peas and lightly toss. Serve and enjoy!

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The Recipes to Try: Spring Minestrone with Green Pea Pistou, Kale and Carrot Salad, Lime Yogurt Cake

Photo Credit: Jeremy Keith

The post Spring Pea Salad Recipe with Feta and Pistachio appeared first on EcoSalon.

Who needs a small bag when you’ve got a pantry?

The most potent and effective remedies are often the natural ones already hanging out in the pantry. Aside from the remedy-specific nature of the following 10 homemade teas, one of the most exciting thing about them is that they don’t require a tea bag! Your spice cabinet, fresh ginger root, some green herbs, a few fruits and vegetables, and honey are all that stand between you and an elixir to treating a pesky ailment – 10 of them, to be more exact.

To put together the following recipes, make sure to mix them until evenly combined and let the teas involving herbs or fruit to steep for several minutes before drinking. Sweeten as you see fit and enjoy!

Morning Liver Tonic

When you wake up in the morning, you’re body is in a very special place. The reason we are usually instructed to take supplements in the morning is because our stomachs are empty and there is little to interfere with said supplements’ potency. This morning tea pulls you out on the right side of the bed, giving a morning cleansing body flush. The lemon juice is highly alkaline and turmeric is known for its detoxifying properties.

Turmeric dates back 2,500 years in India, where it is commonly used in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine. Turmeric packs a lot of health benefits, but for our purposes it should be regarded as a liver cleanser, antiseptic and antibacterial agent. But it doesn’t hurt that the spice lowers the risk of cancer, is anti-inflammatory and helps to lose weight. Turmeric additionally treats Alzheimer’s, depression and arthritis.

You can sweeten with honey to balance the earthiness of the tea.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Deep Sleep Tea

Wind down at the end of the day with a tea that promotes a deep, comfortable sleep. Chamomile is a great stress reliever and has a calming effect on the body. It has been used for thousands of years to help people around the world get some shut eye, and a Japanese study put some legitimacy behind this widespread observation when it noticed that rats fed chamomile fell asleep just as quickly as those given a tranquilizer. Ginger is anti-inflammatory and helps to clear mucous from your passageways, allowing for more effective breathing and hence a more pleasant sleep.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• Dried chamomile flowers to fill one sachet
• 1/2-inch nob of fresh ginger, crushed

Detox Elixir

Holding a bit more weight than you’d like? Cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and lemon join forces to rev up your metabolism and get your body back in shape. Cayenne pepper warms the body, speeding metabolism and burning more calories. Cinnamon reduces blood sugar and LDL (bad) cholesterol as well as boosts metabolism and increases insulin levels. Lemon packs some flavor and added cleansing power.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• 2 dashes cayenne pepper
• 1 cinnamon stick (or 2 dashes cinnamon powder)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Immune Booster Tea

Oranges are packed with vitamin C, a known antioxidant that may help protect your body from cell damage and boost resilience from disease and illness. Cinnamon and honey both have antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, which means they are effective in warding off infections. Mint not only brings a fresh aroma, but it’s a leafy green that carries with it antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that keep you healthy.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• Juice of 1/2 orange
• 1 cinnamon stick (or 2 dashes cinnamon powder)
• 1 teaspoon high-quality (raw) honey
• 4-5 mint leaves, muddled

Beautiful Skin Tea

This may seem like an unlikely concoction, but it’s actually quite delightful! Carrot juice is packed with beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A, an essential part of skin health. Sage inhibits the growth of bacteria and has anti-inflammatory properties. Cayenne contains vitamins A and C, which help to absorb free radicals that break down your skin’s collagen.

Warm this recipe, without bringing it to a simmer. You want to retain the carrot juice’s potency.  Let the leaves sit in the juice for a bit before drinking so that their flavors become infused into the tea.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces warmed carrot juice
• 2 sage leaves
• Dash of cayenne

Brain Power Formula

Blueberries contain anthocyanins and flavanols, which are able to cross the blood-brain barrier. These antioxidants rid the brain of free radicals, which can otherwise lead to oxidation, memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. Ginger is commonly used to stave off migraines and basil naturally reduces tension and fatigue in the brain and mind.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• 1/2-inch nob fresh ginger, crushed
• 1 tablespoon fresh blueberries, muddled
• 3-4 leaves fresh basil, muddled

Regularity Tonic

This tonic is geared towards those of you with difficulty digesting. The taste of this tea is very comforting and earthy. The pear and apple slices bring pectin to the mix, and pectin acts as soluble dietary fiber in humans. It helps promote healthy digestion, prevents diarrhea and constipation, and reduces the risk of colon and gastrointestinal tract cancers. Purple grapes contain quercetin, a plant pigment that contributes to healthy digestion, while cinnamon warms and stimulates metabolism.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• 2 small slices of pear
• 2 small slices of apple
• 4-5 purple grapes, muddled
• Dash of cinnamon

Lady’s Tonic

For that time of month, this raspberry ginger tonic is just what the doctor ordered. Raspberries are a uterine tonic, relaxing and toning the uterine muscles as needed. The fruit is also beneficial during pregnancy, easing morning sickness, stabilizing digestion, and soothing the pelvic area. According to a 2009 study, women who take a dosage of ginger for three days from day one of their period witnesses the same pain relief as those who treated their menstrual cramps with ibuprofen.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• 6-8 raspberries, muddled
• 1/4-inch fresh ginger

Aches and Pains Relieving Tea

Feeling sore as the Winter nears? Be ready to combat the worsening of your symptoms with a tea that cleanses your joints and puts them at ease. Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, a compound that makes cayenne spicy. It lowers the levels of a chemical that relays pain signals to your brain. Fresh ginger and cardamom have both long been used in Ayurvedic medicine to reduce joint pain and inflammation.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• Dash of cayenne
• 4-5 cardamom pods, crushed
• 1/2-inch fresh ginger, muddled

Nausea-Be-Gone Tonic

This recipe uses the soothing and potent effects of basil and honey to rid you of stomach pains, nausea, and vomiting symptoms. It is refreshing just as much as it is energizing, which will help to reverse your symptoms and keep you alert and feeling good.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• 3-4 basil leaves, muddled
• 1 teaspoon of high-quality (raw) honey

Images: Aylin Erman, Steven Jackson, Leszet Lezsczynski, Cthoyes, Jennuine Captures, CLC Photography, Simply Bike, Clyde Robinson, Kodamakitty, Michael Newman, Cinnamon Cooper

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post 10 Healthy Tea Elixirs You Can Make Yourself appeared first on EcoSalon.